1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool for cutting metal pipes and particularly to a portable pipe cutter which can be gripped and rotated bare-handedly to cut metal pipes.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Existing metal pipe cutters can be classified into two types—fixed-point operation type and portable type. A powered cutting tool and a pipe positioning device are usually disposed on the frame of a fixed-point operation pipe-cutting mechanism. This kind of pipe cutter is usually used when cutting hard metal pipes or those with big diameters. Its volume and weight inconvenience its removal, and therefore it is usually disposed at a fixed position.
Portable pipe cutters are usually used when cutting copper pipes, thin-walled metal pipes, or metal pipes with small diameters. Without any powered cutting tool disposed thereon, a portable pipe cutter is relatively smaller than a fixed-point operation pipe-cutting mechanism in volume and weight and can therefore be easily carried to any workplace for pipe cutting. This kind of pipe cutter usually includes an extended grip handle and an approximately U-shaped working part disposed at the end of the grip handle. The working part includes a fixed-rotating disc knife and a roller, therebetween metal pipes are restrained. Force is applied on the grip handle to rotate the pipe cutter, causing the disc knife to move along and cut the pipe wall. The extended grip handle disposed on the portable pipe cutter is still bulky, whereas the disc knife and roller disposed on fixed-point operation pipe-cutting mechanism are only applicable to pipes of a fixed size.